Indicating mechanism.



F. L. FULLER.

INDICATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18. 1914.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO WASHINGTON, D. c,

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wow/Mugs F. L. FULLER.

INDICATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18. 1914.

1,163,748. Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

v 4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

mien? 34 451 H cuLuMnm PLANOGRAPH CUHWASHINGTDN. n. c.

F. L FULLER.

INDICATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18. 1914.

1,163,748. Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

COLUMBXA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK L. FULLER, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL CASH REGISTER COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO. (INCOR- PORATED IN 1906.) v

INDICATING- MECHANISM.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

Application filed March 18, 1914. Serial No. 825,557.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK L. FUL- LER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and-State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indicating Mechanism, of which I declare the following to bear full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in indicating mechanism for cash registers and accounting machines.

The object of the invention is to pr vide an improved indication combining the advantages of the two best types of indicators, the tablet and the roller, without the disadvantages of either. Roller indicators have the advantage of permitting a compact grouping of the indicia for a bank or denominational section of the machine, but, owing to the curved surface carrying the characters, the upper and lower parts of said characters do not stand out as clearly V as is desirable. The principal objection, however, is that because of the limited surface available on the peripheries of such indicators, unless the indicators are made unreasonably large in diameter, the characters must necessarily be small and are not, therefore, easily read except from a position near the machine. Tablet indicators are not open to these objections, as they always present a plane surface to the eye, and the extent of surface on each can readily be made great enough to permit making the characters of such size that they may be read from any reasonable distance. However, tablet indicators as usually applied to cash registers are unsatisfactory, because if they are arranged compactly enough to come within reasonable limits, they cannot indicate in the same plane. As a result, when the indication is viewed from any position except almost directly in front of the machine one indicator may partially or entirely conceal another, a condition which is, of course, unsatisfactory. Attempts have been made in the past to overcome this by grouping the tablet indicators according to denominations and providing a carriage for each group, these carriages being arranged to be moved in operations of the machine to bring the desired indicators to a common plane where they are exposed. The results of such attempts have, however, been unsatisfactory, partly because in all such constructions known to the applicant, each adjustment of an indicator carriage requires a return movement of said carriage to a normal starting point as a preliminary to the movement to position the indicator. The carriages and indicators carried thereby are necessarily of some little weight, and this sudden reversal of their direction of movement naturally results in strain and short life for the mechanism. This is particularly true when, as is often the case, the machines are used in places where they must be operated very rapidly. In making this improvement, the idea of denominationally grouping the indicators in me "able carriages is followed, but the defect just mentioned is overcome by a novel construction which permits reducing the weight of the carriages and indicators to a. minimum and providing means whereby each carriage is moved directly from the position in which it was left on the preceding registration to the proper position to bring the desired indicator for the new transaction to the plane where it is to be exposed. This reduction in weight and movement directly from one position to another in addition to other advantages, makes it possible to provide two carriages for each bank and thereby have a good front and back indication. This would be hard to accomplish in a construction that did not comprise the features mentioned.

Another object of the invention is to provide mechanism for exposing the indicators after they have been brought to selected position. This mechanism is so arranged that it not only supports the indicators in exposed position, but positively raises and lowers them. This is obviously much better than depending upon springs or gravitation to move the indicators in one direction or the other.

lVith these and incidental objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in appended claims, and a preferred form of embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form part of the specification.

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section taken at the right of the dollars bank of the improved machine. Fig. 2 is a detail part of the mechanism for actuating the se lected indicators. Fig. 3 is the right elevation partly broken away and with the easing and side frame removed to show features of the improvement in their assembled positions. Fig. t is a view of one of the indicator carriages with its indicators in normal or concealed position. Fig. 5 shows the relative positions of the front and back indicator groups in the machine. Some of the indicators are omitted from the back indicator carriages so as better to show the formation of the supporting frame. Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the top of the machine, with some of the parts broken away better to show the indicators and operating mechanism.

The machine shown in the accompanying drawings is of the general type fully shown and described in a pending application for United States Letters Patent, filed June 7th, 1913, by \V. A. Chryst, Serial No. 772,276. Only such parts of the machine as are directly involved in the present invention are described herein, however, and reference should be made to the application mentioned for any information desired as to the construction and operation of the rest of the machine.

Machines of the type used for illustration are made up of a plurality of banks or sections, the number depending upon the reg istering capacity desired. In the present instance the machine has live of such banks, four for amounts, and one for special transactions, but all substantially alike so far as the construction is concerned. Each amount bank comprises a row of depressible keys ranging from 1 to 9, and designed to control the extent of movement imparted to the differential mechanism of the bank by the invariably moved driving mechanism which is common to all of the banks. Ten pairs of tablet indicators are provided for each of the amount banks, a pair for each of the nine keys, and a tenth pair for the Zero or normal position of the differential mechanism. One indicator of each pair in dicates at the front of the machine, and the other at the back. The special bank, which is the right hand bank in this instance, has nine keys for clerks or special transactions. Only nine pairs of indicators are provided for this bank because one of these special keys must be depressed before the machine can be operated, and it never happens, therefore, that the Zero position of the bank is indicated. All indicators are slidably mounted in longitudinally movable carriages arranged to be adjusted differentially in either direction to bring the indicators rcpresenting the keys used into the common vertical planes where all the front and back indicators are exposed. Qperating devices having an invariable, positive movement in these vertical planes are arranged then to withdraw upwardly the positioned indicators far enough to eXpose the characters thereon and hold them in that position after the operation of the machine is completed. On the succeeding operation the indicators are positively lowered just before the adjustment of the carriages to set up the new indication is commenced. in other words, the indicators and the invariably move l op erating devices therefor are arranged to cooperate in such manner that from the instant an indicator starts to leave its carriage until it is returned it is positively controlled by the operating devices. The connection between each pair of indicator carriages and the differential mechanism for corresponding banks is such that the ant movement of the differential mechanism is not transmittcd to the carriages, but only such part of the movement as is necessary to move them from the positions in which they were left at the end of the preceding rcgistration directly to their new or desired positions. There is, therefore, no rcaicrsal of the direction of movement of the carriages during the operation of the machine.

Described in detail and with reference to the drawings, power is applied to the machine by an operating handle indicated the dotted outline 1, Fig. 1. This handle pivoted in the usual manner on a stub shaft in the machine frame. A gear 2, rigid with the operating handle transmits the morce ment of the handle to a large idle gear in dicated by the pitch line 3 to gears 4: and 5 secured to the driving shafts (3 and 7 respectively. These gears are so proportioned that for two complete rotations given the operating handle the shafts and 7 are each given one complete rotation. Attached to the shaft 7 is a plurality of pairs of cams 8, a pair for each of the five banks of thrv machine. These pairs of cams are arranged spirally around the shaft 7 to provide for a successive operation of he to'talir-ccr ca ing mechanism in a manner fully explained in the Chryst application mentioned above Pivoted on a. stub shaft 9 in the frame 102. each bank is a three armed lever 10. The lower arms of this lever carry a gair of op positely extending anti-friction rol one of the pair of cams provided for bank. The shape and arrangement of a pair of these cams is such that on every rotation of the shaft 7 the lever 10 will be rocked first clockwise (Fig. l) and then anti-clockwise over an arc of about de grees. Loosely mounted on a shaft 13 ex tending through the machine frame is a rock frame lt for each bank. Links 15 loosely connect these rock frames to the upper arms of the levers 10, so that when said levers are rocked in the manner just described, the frames 1% will be rocked about the shaft 13, and, as the links 15 connect the rock frames 1st and levers 10 above their respective centers, the frames will always rock in the same direction as the levers, that is, first clockwise and then anti-cloclnvise. Loosely mounted on the shaft 13 and adjacent to the rock frames 11- are gears 16 carrying teeth 161 and a toothed transfer element 162 to actuate the main totalizer 17, and corresponding teeth 171 and transfer element 172 for department totalizers 18. Each gear 16 carries on pivots 19 and 19 respectively a bell crank 20, and a link 21. This bell crank and link in turn carry on pivots 22 a latch plunger 23, which is at all times drawn rearwardly by a spring (not shown) so that a lug on the rear end of the plunger is held against the rock frame 1 1 normally above a shoulder 25 of said frame, thereby establishing operative driving connection between the rock frame 14 and the gear 16, so that the two will move together as long as the latch lug 21 remains in engagement with the frame 14: and its shoulder 25. lVhen one of the keys 26 is depressed in the usual manner, its inner end i will extend into the path of a block 27 rigidly secured to the forward end of the bell crank 20, and when said block 27 is brought against the key during the upward movement of the rock frame 14 and gear 1.6, the bell crank will rock on its pivot 19, and the latch plunger, guided by link 21, will be projected forward so that its nose '29 will be thrown into engagement with the notch 31 corresponding to the key depressed. This forward movement of the latch plunger 23 withdraws its lug 24 from above the shoulder 25 on the rock plate 1%, and brings the gear 16 to a stop while the rock frame 14 continues its clockwise movement. he plunger 23 is held in engagement with the notch 31 into which it has been projected by the periphery 32 of the rock frame 14: being carried under the inner end of the plunger. The peripheries 32 and 33 of the rock frame are concentric and the difference between their radii is just equal to the forward movement of the latch plunger 23 when it engages notches 31, so that the plunger is always held firmly seated in such said notches .vhen the periphery 32 is in engagement with the rear end. of the plunger. During the return to normal or anti-clockvise movement of the frame 141, the shoulder 25 is, of course, finally carried past the rear end of the latch and the spring provided for that purpose (but not shown) draws the plunger 23 back out of engagement with the notch 31 and seats it against the circumference 33 just above the shoulder 25 of the rock frame 11. During the rest of this return to normal movement, the gear 16 and frame 11 move as a unit until both rest in the positions in which they are shown in the drawings. It will be seen, therefore, that the extent of movement of the gear depends upon the key pressed, although it should be added just here that if the machine is operated without depressing a key in the bank, a zero stop (not shown) operates the latch mechanism in the same manner as a key to project the latch plunger 23 into the lowest or zero notch 30 thereby preventing the movement of the gear 16 past the normal or Zero position.

As indicated in the foregoing there are two indicators for each of the nine keys in a bank, and two for the zero position, or twenty indicators in all for each of the amount banks. Two carriages are provided for each bank, one for the ten front inclicators, and the other for the ten back indicators, with a sleeved connection between the two to permit arranging the different groups so that both the front and back indicators will appear in correct denominational order. Only one of these carriages is directly connected to the differential mechanism, but, because of the sleeve connection mentioned, adjustment of one by the differential mechanism causes the adjustment of the other in the same direction and to exactly the same extent. Each of the carriages cemprises a frame 3 1, with slots 35, spanning rollers 36 loosely mounted on shafts 37 extending through the machine frame. Each of these rollers is, as is best shown in Fig. 6, provided with flanges 38 to prevent lateral movement of the carriages. A pair of approximately V-shaped f ames l1 and are mounted on the shafts 37, one frame at each end of the machine adjacent to the side frames. A plate 18 extends laterally across the machine and is secured by oppositely extending ears formed on either end of the plate to the V-shaped frames just mentioned. As shown, the frames 11 and 12 are not in lateral alinement. an arrangement which in connection with the arrangement of the ears 11 on the plate 13 serves to hold the plate rigidly in position. This plate 13 is provided to act as a guide for the upper portion 45 of the indicator carriage 31, it having a slot in its lower edge for each of the frames. It will be seen, therefore that this guide plate, in connection with the flanged rollers 36, hold he frames upright and permits a free longitudinal move ment of the frames in either direction to extents limited only by the slots 35. Rigid with the frame 3 1 and riveted to an upwardly bent portion 451 of the portion 15 and portion 181 of the lower portion 48 of the frame Si is a thin metal casing 16 so fori ct that inter al grooves 50 are pro vided in whichindicators 47 are slidably 5 mounted, said indicators being supported at their lower end by extensions 18 forming a part oi the frame. The indicators d7 are made of thin material to reduce the weight as much as possible, and to further reduce the weight, the lower parts of the indicators are cut out as at e9, Fig. 1. The characters of the indicators are, of course, on the portions normally resting within the casing d6.

is suggested above, the indicator care positioned by means directly differential nechanism ov the through connections arranged to move the carriages directly from one position to another. T his is accomplished by devices operating intermediate the differential gear 16 and the indie or carriage 3% in such a way that the ditlehential positioning of the gear determines the position to which the car riage is to be adjusted, and, after the adjustment or" the carriage, the gear is allowed to return to its normal position without alterthe position of the carriage. This intervening mechanism comprises a beam 51, having one end supported on the pivot 19 fastener. to the gear 16 and the other end loosely connected by a link 52 to an arm 53, rigid with the gear segment 5%, which is at all. times in engagement with rack secured to the indicator carriage All of the parts are in the zero position in 1. and the zero indicators 47 are exposed. If the machine is now operated with. the 9 or top key depressed, the gear 16 is rotated until the block is brought into contact with the depressed tey, causing the nose 29 of the latch to be projected into the top one of the notches 31. The end of the beam 51, which is pivoted to gear 16, is, of course, carried up, and, because of the opposition afforded by the shaft 13, the rear end of the beam is lowered a corresponding extent. This movement is transmitted through the link arm 53, segment 5t and rack 55 di- 0 move the hack indicator frame 34 i from the Zero position in which it in the drawing to the position to L ;e at the back of the machine the key le 'iressed.

"i e three-armed lever 10 has an extension l c-- an anti-f iction roll. 58. As the eloc 15% t0 HIOVC- clockwise oscillation of the three-armed lever 10, the roller 58 is carried away from the beam 51, and when the gear 16 is restored to normal or zero position, the beam 51 and link will be carried down as the pivotal 19 is lowered, so that at the end of the operation the beam 51 and link 52 will. be hanging loosely under the shaft 13. It on the next operation a key of lower denomination than the 9 is pressed, say for instance the 5 key, the end of the beam connected to the gear 15 by the pivot 19 will be carried up until the latch mechanism is tripped by the depressed key and the plunger 23 thrown into engagement with the notch 31 corresponding to the 5 key. While the plunger so engaged, thereby holding the gear 16 rigid, the roller 58 will be carried into contact with the under side of the beam 51 and raise the beam the rest of the distance necessary to bring one intermediate point of the beam in contact with the collar of the shaft 13, and, through the intermediate connections, bringing the 5 indicator into the vertical plane in which the zero indicator 1-? is shown in Fig. 1. The roller 58 is then carried away so that as the gear 15 is restored to its normal starting point the beam 51 drops without any interference from the roller. This beam and link connection it will be seen, therefore, allows the differential gear 16 to return to zero from any adjusted position without moving the indicator carriages out of the positions to which they have just been adjusted.

[Ls before indicated, the machine has five banks and indicates at both. the front and back of the machine. Two indicator carriages are, therefore, provided for each of the amount banks, one carrying the indicator tablets for the front indication, and the other the tablets for the back indicatiou. A driving segment is provided for each carriage, and the segments for each frontand back pair are rigidly connected together by one the sleeves concentric to a shaft 60. he arrangement of these sleeves is best shown in Fig. 6. A tube 59" carries attached to its left end as shown in said figure, the operating segment 51 arm 53 and the link tor the front indicators of the units bank and attached to the opposite end of the tube is a segment 5 lto drive the back indicator carriage for that bank. The arrangement of the parts on a tube 59 for the dimes bank and a tube 59 for the dollars bank is tl e same as on the tube 59", but on a sleeve 59 for the tens of dollars bank the order is reversed; that is, the segment 5-l is attached to the left end of the tube and the segment to the right end. This reversal is necessary because the tens of dollars bank is the highest or farthest to the left on the keyboard and comes under the tens of dollars back indicators instead of, as is the case with the other amount banks, coming under the front indicators. By this means both carriages for the back indication can be arranged so that the figures on the exposed indicators of the different groups will read in correct denominational order in both the front and back planes. Separate carriages are unnecessary for the frontand back special indicators, but the tablets for both can be carried in the same carriage, as it does not make any difference whether the word indicating the nature of the sale appears before or after the amount. In the machines used for illustration, the word appears before the amount in the front indication, and, as shown in Fig. 1, after the amount in the rear indication. However, owing to the fact that the special keys and the differential mechanism therefor are in the right hand bank of the machine, in order to transmit the movement of the differential mechanism across the special indicator carriage, there is provided a tube 59, Fig. 6, concentric to and within the other tubes and car rying at one end of a driving arm 53, to which the link 52 for the special bank is attached, and at the other end a gear segment 54 for adjusting the carriage 34C for the special bank in the same manner as before described in connection with an amount bank.

Fastened to the special indicator tube 59, and to each of the amount indicator tubes is a segment (Fig. 1 and 6) engaging with gears 76 secured to the eccentric shaft and sleeves 77. The shaft and sleeves 77 are, therefore, each differentially rotated when the segments 54 are moved to adjust the indicator carriages from one position to another, this differential movement of said shaft and sleeves being used to set up type carriers in the usual manner.

It is, of course, necessary to provide means for holding the indicator carriages and type devices in their adjusted positions to insure the correct alinement of the type and indicators. To accomplish this an alining pawl 81 is provided each bank and arranged to engage the teeth of the segment gear 75 at all times, except when the segment is being adjusted from one position to another. These pawls 81 are all fastened to a rock shaft 82 extending across the machine. At one end of the shaft is rigidly secured an arm 83. A pitman 84c, pivoted to the arm 83 and forked at its lower end to span the driving shaft 6, carries an anti friction roller 85 projecting into the race 86 of a cam rigidly attached to shaft 6. Itwill be remembered that this shaft makes one complete rotation on every operation of the machine. The configuration of the cam groove is such that the pitman S i is raised immediately upon the beginning of the operation of the machine, rocking the shaft 82 and withdrawing the locking pawls 81 from engagement with the segment gears 7 5. The pawls are held out of engagement until all of the gears 16 have been differentially positioned, and the beams 51 operated to set the indicator carriages and type carriers to positions corresponding to the positions of the said gears. As soon as these adjustments have been made, the pitman 8i is drawn down to normal position and the pawls 81 returned to locking engagement with the teeth of segments 7 5.

After the indicator carriages have been adjusted in the manner above described, the indicators which have by such adjustments been brought to the planes where they are to be exposed are withdrawn upwardly from the casings L6 far enough to bring the indicia to a position to be seen through the indicator glasses S7 and openings 88 in the shields 90 attached to the machine frames. Each of the indicators has a roll shaped portion 91 formed at its top and a plate 89 fastened to the machine has upturned portions 92 secured by lugs 93 to end plates 106, said upturned portions 92 cocperating with the plates 90 to guide the indicators in their upward movement. The operating mechanism for the indicators comprises plates 94., Fig. 6, one of these plates being provided for the front indication, and another for the rear. Each of these plates has a number of extensions 95 having oppositely extending lugs arranged to engage selectively within notches 96 formed in the vertical edges and near the tops of the indicators. The plates 94 are lowered at the beginning of each operation of the machine. so as to slide the indicators which are at the time through their notches 96 engaged with the plates back into their normal positions in the casings 46. The pla es 94: remain in their lowered positions while the carriages 34: are diiferent allv adjust-ed to bring the notches 96 of the desired indicators in cot peration with the lugs on the extensions 95 and the plates 94 are then returned to the normal raised position carrying by means of the extensions 95, the indicators up and holding them exposed after the end of the registration. As shown in Fig. 3. the plates 94:, the roll shaped portions 91 on the indicators, the internal guide plates 92, the outer shields 90 and the slots 50 in the casings 46 all cooperate to hold an indicator rigidly in position after it has been raised.

The actuating plates 9i have at each end a tongue 97 formed at right angles to the length of the plate, these tongues being secured to the corresponding one of T-shaped plates 100 of which there is one at each end of the machine. These plates 100 have at their lower ends anti-friction rollers 103 engaging guide slots 104. in the adjacent machine frame. hear their upper ends the plates 100 are provided with other antifric tion rollers 102 operating in slots 105 in end plates 106 which are secured to the machine frame, and support the internal guide shield 92. A pitman 107 at each end of the machine pivotally connected to the corresponding plate 100 by studs 108 which also carry the anti-friction rollers 102. The lower end of each pitman is pivoted to an arm 109 (Fig. 1) pivoted to the machine frame at 111, and carrying an antifriction roller 112 projecting into the race 113, Fig. 2, of a cam 11% fastened to the driving shaft 6. The groove in said cam is shaped so that through the devices mentioned the plates 94: are lowered at the beginning of the operation of the machine, and remain in the lowered position for about half of the operation. During this time that the lifting plates 9-.t are down their extensions 95 are in horizontal alinement with all the notches 96 of corresponding indicators, and the indicators are. as before stated, adjusted relative to such so that when the plates 94 are raised by further rotation of the cam 11 the notches of the proper indicators will surround the extensions 95 so that such indicators will be withorawn upwardly from their casings and exposed.

Electric lamps 115, and reflectors 116 therefor may be provided to light up the ex posed indicators and a top sign 117. This is particularly desirable where the register is to be used in a comparatively dark room. However, the use of such lighting devices is well known in the artand forms no part of the present invention, so no detailed de scription need be given here.

In order to summarize the operation of the improved mechanism to the best advan tage brief statement with reference to a single bani; will next be given. Almost immediately after the operating mechanism is started the pitmen 107 are operated to draw the front and bacl: indicator actuator plates 9%- down, thereby restoring the indicators for the previous registration to their normal positions within the casings d6. The actuator plates remain in this lowered position with the lugs on the extensions 95 in the same plane with the notches in the edges of the indicators during about the first half of the operation. During this time the segment gear 16 is differentially positioned by the depressed key operating alatch to disconnect the. gear from the invariably moved operat ing mechanism. This positions the pi ot 19 carrying one end of the beam 51 and the beam is then adjusted about this pivot by the invariably moved arm 57 and roll 58 to move its center to a constant position. The resulting differential movement of the end of the beam 51 opposite the pivot 19 is transmitted through the link 52 and intervening mechanism to the sliding front and back indicator carriages 3-1 for the bank, thereby adjusting the carriages directly from the positions in which they were left at the end of the previous registration to position the indicators corresponding to the key used with their notches 96 in cooperating relation with the lugs on the extensions on the actuator plates 92 The actuator plates are then returned to their raised positions, lifting the indicators just positioned to expose their indicia.

l l hile the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfil the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to toe one form of embodiment herein shown and described, as it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a group of indicators, of an actuating device common to said indicators, and means for adjusting said group to establish cooperative relation between the actuating device and any desired indicator, said means being arranged to adjust said group directly from one position to another without a return movement to a normal. starting point.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a group of indicators, of an actuator common to said indicators, means for adjusting the group of indicators directly from one position to another to establish cooperative relation between the actuator and any desired indicator, and means for operating the actuator to expose the in dicator desired.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a plurality of indicators arranged in groups, of an actuating device common to said indicators, and means for adjusting any desired ones of said groups to establish cooperative relation between the actuating device and the proper indicators. said means being arranged to adjust said groups directly from one position to another without a return movement to a normal starting point.

1'. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a plurality of vertically movable indicators arranged in groups, of an actuator common to said indicators, means for adjusting any desired ones of said groups relative to said actuating device to establish cooperating relation between said device and any desired ones,of said indicators, said means being arranged to adjust said groups directly from one position to an other without a return movement to a normal starting point, and means for operating the actuator.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a plurality of vertically movable indicators arranged in groups, of an actuating device therefor adapted to ex pose any desired ones of said indicators, and means for adjusting any desired ones of said groups directly and in either direction to establish cooperative relation between said device and any desired ones of said indicators.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a plurality of indicators arranged in groups, of an actuating device therefor adapted to expose any desired ones of said indicators and hold the same in exposed position, means for positively adjusting any desired ones of said groups directly and in either direction to establish co-operative relation between said device and desired ones of said indicators, and means for operating said. actuating device.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a plurality of indicators arranged in groups, of a common actuator therefor, manipulative means for selecting the indicators to be actuated, and operating mechanism arranged to adjust said indicator groups directly from one position to another in either direction without a return movement to a normal starting point to establish cooperative relation between the selected indicators and the actuator.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a movable frame, of a plurality of vertically movable indicators mounted therein, an actuating device common to all of said indicators, means for moving said frame relative to the actuating device to establish a cooperating relation between said device and any desired one of said indicators, said movement being invariably made directly from the previously adjusted position of the frame to the new position, and means for operating the actuating device to expose and retain in exposed position the indicator cooperating with said device.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination with aplurality of vertically movable indicators arranged in groups, of a common actuator therefor, manipulative means for determining the indicators to be actuated, operating mechanism controlled by said manipulative means and comprising the devices for adjusting said indicator groups to establish cooperating relation between the proper indicators and the actuator, said adjustment being always made directly from the previous positions to the new positions of the groups.

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a plurality of vertically movable indicators arranged in groups, of a common actuator therefor, manipulative means for determining the indicators to be actuated, operating mechanism controlled by said manipulative means and comprising devices for adjusting said indicator groups to establish cooperative relation between the proper indicators and the actuator, said adjustinent being always made directly from the position in which the group was left by the preceding operation to the desired position, and means for operating the aforesaid actuator.

11. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a movable frame, of a plurality of vertically movable indicators *arried thereby, an actuating device common to all of said indicators, means for moving said frame directly and in either direction from one adjusted position to another to establish cooperative relation between said device and any desired indicator, and means for operating the actuating device to lift the indicator cooperating therewith and hold the same in exposed position.

12. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a plurality of indicators mounted in a movable frame, of a common actuator for said indicators, manipulative devices for determining the indicator to be actuated. and an operating mechanism con trolled by said manipulative devices arranged to move invariably the indicator frame directly from one position to another to establish coiiperating relation between the desired indicator and the actuators.

13. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a plurality of indicators mounted in a movable frame, of an actuating element common thereto, manipir lative devices for determining the indicator to be actuated. an operating mechanism controlled by said manipulative devices arranged to move the indicator frame directly from one position to another to establish cooperative relation between the desired indicator and the actuating element, and means for operating the actuating element to expose the indicator coiiperating therewith.

14. In a machine of the class described. the combination with a plural tv of indicaters mounted in a movable frame. o an actuating element common thereto. manipulative devices for determining the indicator to be actuated. an operating mccl anism controlled by said manipulative devices ranged to move the indicator frame directly from one position to another to establish cooperative relation between the desired indi outer and the actuating element. and means for operating the actuating element to expose the inoicator cooperatingtherewith and maintain the same in exposed position.

In a machine of the class described. the combination with a movable frame, of a group of vertically movable indicators slidably mounted therein, an actuating device common to all of said indicators. means for adjusting said frame relative to said actuat ing device whereby to establish cooperative relation between said device and any desired one of said indicators, said adjusting means ii variably moving the frame directly from one position to another Without a return movement to a normal position, and means i the a"tuating device to e I 'tioLed iioicator and maintain he same '11 exposed position.

16. In a ma of the class described, the combination with a main operating nlcchanism, of plurality of groups of inmeans ated by the main ope hahisi. for adjusting said groups rom one position to another Wheret any of the indicators for operapulative devices operable as a to an operation of the operatto cetermine the extent of tinent of said gro s of indicators, and

gle means common to all of said indis and actuated the main operating device for exposing the selected indicator g5 'ning the same in exposed posieen operations of the main operatmachine of the class described, the ombination "with a main ope 'ating 'ty of vertically movd in groups, de 'itec by t 1e main op iLg said groups of lesired ones of the or operation, said adjustment being I made directly from the previously d position to the desired position,

e Ls dri en by the main ope "ating ele ating the selected indi- *1 mg the same in exposed untl e sl ioabl y m an eleva'me' drice common indicators, :tor posnii el} rid '-ctly and in either elevating device e relation be said ec incicator nun ca ions a mechanam r c-Z and o ac main operating said groups diion to bring any ones of said slides in the same vertical plane, means driven by the main operating mechanism and having a constant morement in the plane of adjnstn entof the selected slides and adapted to engage and c3;- pose the selected slides and inamtain the same in exposed position between operations the main operating mechanism.

the combination vith n ain opera mechanism, of a plurality of vertically movable indi-ator slides arranged in groups, connections actuated by the main operating mecl anism for adjusting said groups directly and in either direction to bring any desired. ones of said slides in the same vertical plane, means driven by the main opeating mechanism and having a constant movement in the plane of adjustment oi the selected slides and adapted to expose said selected slides.

21. in a machine of the class described, the combination with a plurality of indicators slidably mounted in a movable frame, of an actuating device common to all 0 l1 said indicators and adapted to expose any desired one of said indicators and maintain the same in exposed position, and means tor positively moving said frame lirectly and in either direction vvhereby to establish a cooperative re ation between said device and any one of said. indi -ators.

lfn a machine of the class described, the combination with a plurality of indi cators arranged in groups, of an actuating device common to all of said groups and adapted to expose any desired ones of said indicators and maintain the same in ct;- posed position, means for adjusting any desired ones of said groups directly and in either direction to establish coooperative relation between said device and any desired ones of said indicators, and manipulative means for controlling the extent of adjustment of said groups.

23 In a machine of the class i the combination vvith a moable frame, a plurality of indicators slidably mountcr therein, an actuating device common all of said groups and ada )ted to expo desc 'ibcd,

. -or nd in the same in ,XPOSQCl p moving the indicator franc directly 2? either di ection to establish cooperat lat-ion between said device and any desireoi es of said indicators, and manipulative means i controlling the extent oi adjust- ;o ment of said frame.

In a machine of the class describes. the combination with a longitudinal e frame, of a plurality of vein l e indicators carried thereby, a vertically cvable actuator common to all of the indi caters, means for adjusting said frame directly and without a return movement to a normal starting point to establish cooperative relation between the actuator and any desired one of the indicators, and means for operating the actuator to expose the indicator cooperating therewith and hold same in exposed position.

25. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a longitudinally mov able frame, of a plurality of vertically movable indicators carried thereby, a vertically movable actuator common to all of the indicators, means for positively adjusting said frame directly without a return movement to a'normal starting point to bring any d sired indicator into the same vertical plane with the actuator, and means for operating the actuator to raise the indicator and hold same in exposed position.

26. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a plurality of independently movable groups of indicators, of manipulative devices operable to determine the indicators to be displayed in an operation of the machine, and intervening operating mechanism arranged to move each group of indicators directly from one position to another to bring the desired indicators into the same plane and then expose same.

27. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a movable frame containing a plurality of indicators, of manipulative means operable to determine the particular indicator to be displayed in an operation of the machine, and intervening operating mechanism arranged to move positively said frame directly from one position to another and then display the desired indicator.

28. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a movable group of indicators, of manipulative devices operable to select the indicator to be displayed in an operation of the machine, and intervening operating mechanism arranged to positively move the group of indicators directly from one position to another and then display the selected indicator.

29. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a movable frame and a plurality of indicators carried thereby, of an actuator common to said indicators, a beam, a plurality of manipulative devices, means controlled by said manipulative devices for differentially positioning one point on said beam, an invariably moved element for engaging another point on said beam and restoring it to a constant position, and connections whereby the restoring movement of the beam will adiust the indicator frame to bring the desired indicator into cooperatiye relation to the aforesaid actuator.

30. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a movable frame and a plurality of indicators carried thereby, of a single actuator for said indicators, a

beam, manipulatively controlled means for differentially positioning one point on said beam, and invariably moved element for engaging another point on said beam and restoring it to a constant position, and connections whereby said movements of the beam will adjust the indicator frame directly from one position to another to bring the desired indicator into col'iperative relation to the aforesaid actuator, and means for c-re ating said actuator.

31. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a movable frame, of a plurality of indicators slidably mounted therein. an element normally holding one of said indicators in exposed position, means for giving said element an invariable movement to restore the exposed indicator and expose another, and means for positively adjusting said movable frame directly from one position to another to bring any desired indicator into position to co'tiperate with the invariably moved element.

32. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a series of manipula tive devices, of a movable frame carrying a plurality of indicators corresponding to the manipulative devices, means differentially positioned under the control of the manipulative devices, and connections whereby the differentially positioning of the aforesaid means will cause movement of the aforesaid indicator frame directly from one position to another without a return movement to a normal starting point.

38. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a mo able frame carrying a plurality of indicators slidably mounted therein, of an actuator common to said indicators, a member movable differentially from a normal position and returned to said position at each operation of the machine, connections between said member and the movable indicator frame, and invariably moved devices operating on said connections to insure movement of the indicator frame directly from one position to another without a return movement to a normal starting point.

34:. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a longitudinally mova le frame, of a plurality of vertically movable indicators carried thereby, an actuator common to all of said indicators and having an invariable vertical movement, and means for positively adjusting the indicator frame directly from one position to another to bring any desired indicator into the path of the actuator.

35. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a longitudinally movable frame, of a plurality of vertically movable indicators carried thereby, an element having an invariable vertical movement, and means for moving the indicator frame directly from one position to another to bring any desired indicator into the path of the invariably moved element.

36. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a longitudinally movable frame. of a plurality of slides mounted therein bearing indicia, an element designed to withdraw a slide from the frame to expose the indicia, means for moving the aforesaid frame directly from one position to anrther to engage the proper slide with the aforesaid element, and means for giving the element an invariable movement.

37. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a longitudinally movable frame, of a plurality of slides mounted therein bearing indicating characters, an element designed to withdraw any slide from the frame to expose the characters to view, means for moving the aforesaid frame directly from one position to another to engage a desired slide with the afrresaid element, manipulative devices for controlling said means, and devices for giving the aforesaid element an invariable movement.

38. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a longitudinally movable frame, of a plurality of vertically movable indicators carried thereby, an element having an invariable vertical movement, manipulative devices, means controlled by said manipulative devices for moving the indicator frame directly from one position to another to bring any desired indicator into co5perative relation to the invariably moved element, and means whereby said invariably moved element will positively raise and lower the selected indicator.

39. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a longitudinally movable frame, of a plurality of vertically movable indicators carried thereby, an element having an invariable vertical movement, means for moving the indicator frame di rectly from one position to another to bring any desired indicator into cooperative relaticn to the invariably moved element, and means whereby said invariably moved element will positively raise and lower the selected indicator.

d0. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a plurality of indicators .slidably mounted in a movable frame, an invariably and positively reciprocated eleindicator having a pair of oppositely ex tending projections, a vertically recipro cated actuator common to all of the indicators and arranged to engage the projections on an indicator in such manner that the indicator will be positively raised and lowered as the actuator is reciprocated, and means for adjusting the aforesaid movable frame relative to the actuator while the latter is in lowered position to bring the extensions on any desired indicator into engagement with the actuator.

L2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a movable frame, of a plrrality of indicators carried thereby, each indicator having a pair of oppositely extending projections, a verticallv rcciprocatcd actuator common to all of the indicators and arranged to engage the projections on an indicator in such manner that the indicator will be positively raised and lowered as the actuator is reciprocated, and means for adjusting the aforesaid movable frame directly from one position to another while said actuator is in its lowered position to bring the extensions on any desired indicator into engagement with the actuator.

43. In a machine of the class described, the combination with adjustable frame, of a plurality of indicators carried thereby, each indicator having a notch in each of its vertical edges and the notches of all the indicators being in the same longitudinal plane, an actuator having projections to cooperate with the notches in the indicators, means for lowering and raising the actuator, the projections on the actuator being in the same longitudinal plane as the notches in indicators when the actuator is in its lowered position, and means for moving the adjustable frame while the actuator is in its lowered position to bring the nctches in any desired indicator in coiperative relation with the projections on the actuators whereby said indicators will be raised as the actuator is moved.

44. In a machine of the class described, the combination with an adjustable frame, of a plurality of indicators carried thereby, each indicator having a notch in each of its vertical edges and the notches of the several indicators being normally in the same longitudinal plane, an actuator having projections to cooperate with the notches in the indicators, means for lowering and raising the actuator, the projections on the actuator being in the same plane as the nctches in the indicators when the actuator is in its lowered position, and means for moving the adjustable frame while the actuator is in lowered position to establish coiperative re lation between the notches in any desired indicator and the projections on the actuator whereby said indicators will be positively raised and lowered as the actuator is moved.

d5.- In a machine of the class described,

the combination with a movable carriage comprising a grooved frame, of indicators slidably mounted in said grooves, each indicator having notches in its edges and all said notches being in alinement, a normally raised actuator having projections to engage said notches, means for lowering and then raising the actuator, the projections on the actuator being brought into alinement with the notches in the indicator when the actuator is in lowered position, and means for adjusting the indicator frame while the actuator is in lowered position to establish cooperative relation between the notches in any desired indicator and the projections on the actuator whereby the positioned indicator will be raised as the actuator is returned to normal position.

46. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a movable carriage comprising a grooved frame, of indicators slidably mounted in said grooves, each indicator having notches in its edges and all said notches being in alinement, a normally raised actuator having projections to engage said notches, means for lowering and then raising the actuator, the projections on the actuator being brought into alinement with the notches in the indicators when the actuator is in lowered position, means for adjust ing the indicator frame while the actuator is in lowered position to establish cooperative relation between the notches in any desired indicator and the projections on the actuator whereby the positioned indicator will be raised as the actuator is returned to normal position, and plates forming a guide to prevent the indicators from becoming disengaged from the actuator, said guide plates also cooperating with the groove in the indicator frame to prevent lateral movement of the indicator in any direction while in exposed position.

47. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a series of manipulative devices, of indicators corresponding to the series of manipulative devices and arranged in two groups, the indicators in one group to be exposed at the front and the other at the rear of the machine, actuating elements for said indicators, and means controlled by the manipulative devices for adjusting the indicator groups directly from one position to another but without relative movement between the two groups to bring the desired indicators into cooperative relation with the corresponding actuating elements.

48. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a series of manipulative devices, of indicators corresponding to the series of manipulative devices and arranged in two groups, the indicators in one group to be exposed at the front and the other at the rear of the machine, actuating elements for said indicators, means controlled by the ma-' nipulative devices for adjusting the indicator groups directly from one position to another but without relative movement between the two groups to bring the desired in dicators into cooperative relation with the corresponding actuating elements, and means intermediate the actuating elements for giving said elements an invariable movement.

49. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a series of manipulative devices, of a pair of movable frames each carrying a set of indicators corresponding to the manipulative devices, the indicators of one set being exposable at the front and the other at the rear of the machine, connections between the movable frames whereby movement of one is transmitted to the other, an invariably moved device comprising actuating elements for each set of indicators, and means controlled by the aforesaid manipulative device for adjusting said pair of frames directly from one position to another to bring the desired indicators into cooperative relation with the actuating elements.

50. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a pair of movable frames, of a set of indicators mounted in each of said frames, the indicators of one set being arranged to show at the front and the other at the rear of the machine, in variably moved devices comprising an actuating element for each set of indicators, and means for moving the pair of frames directly from one position to another to bring the desired pair of indicators in cotiperative relation to their respective actuators.

51. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a plurality of indicators arranged in groups, of an actuating device common to said indicators, and means for adjusting any desired ones of said groups to bring the desired indicators in the same vertical plane and establish cooperative relation between the actuating device and the desired indicators, said means being arranged to adjust said groups directly from one position to another without a return movement to a normal starting point.

52. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a plurality of vertically movable indicators arranged in groups, of an actuating device therefor adapted to expose any desired ones of said indicators in the same vertical plane, and means, for adjusting any desired ones of said groups directly and in either direction to bring the desired indicators in the samevertical plane and establish cooperative relation between said device and the desired indicators.

53. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a plurality of indicators arranged in groups, of an actuating device therefor :ida'ptedto expose any desired ones of said indicators in the same vertical plane and hold the same in exposed position, means for positively adjusting any desired ones of said groups directly and in either direction to bring the desired indicators into the same vertical plane and establish cooperative relation between said device and desired indiators, and means for operating said actuating device.

5%. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a plurality of pairs of groups of indicators, the indicators of one group of each pair being exposed at the front and the indicators of the other group at the rear of the machine, individual sliding frames for carrying the groups of indicators, racks carried by said frames, sleeves, one for each pair of groups of indicators, a pair of segment gears on each sleeve and meshing with the racks on the frames carrying the corresponding groups of indicators, means for rotating said sleeves dilferentially to position said groups of indicators to bring the desired indicators into position to be elevated to exposed positions, and means for elevating the desired indicators to exposed positions.

in a machine of the class described, the combination with a movable frame, of a plurality of indicators carried thereby, each indicator having a pair of oppositely extending projections, a vertically reciprocated actuator common to all of the indicators and having a pair of projections extendin oppositely to the projections on the indicators and arranged to engage the projections on an indicator in such manner that the indicator will be positively raised and lowered as the actuator is reciprocated, and means for adjusting said movable frame relative to the actuator while the latter is in lowered position to bring the projections on any desired indicator into enga ement with the projections on the actuator.

56. in a machine of the class described, the combination with a movable frame, of a plurality of indicators carried thereby, each indicator having a pair of oppositely extending projections, a vertically reciprocated actuator common to all. of the indicators and having a pair of projections extending oppositely to the projections on the indicators and a ranged to engage the projections on an indicator in such manner that the indicator will be raised and lowered as the actu ator is reciprocated, and means for adjusting aid movable frame relative to the actuator while the latter is in lowered position to bring the projections on any desired indicator into engagement with the projections on the actuator.

57. In a machine of the class described, the

combination with a movable f nine, of a plurality of indicators carried thereby, each indicator having a pair of oppositely extending projections, a vertically reciprocated actuator common to all of the indicators and having a pair of projections extending oppositely to the projections on the indicators and arranged to engage the projections on an indicator in such manner that the indicator will be raised and lowered as the actuator is reciprocated, means for adjusting said movable frame relative to the act iator while the latter is in lowered position to bring the projections on any desired indicator into en gagement with the actuator, and a shield having two parallel and vertical walls between which the indicators are elevated and lowered the shield serving to prevent the projections on the indicators from sliding off of the projections on the actuator.

58. In a machine of tie class described, the combination with a plurality of movable frames, of a group of indicators carried in each frame, each indicator having a pair of oppositely extending projections, a vertically reciprocated actuator common to all of the groups of indicators and having a plurality of pairs of oppositely extending projections there being one pair for each group of indicators and so arranged as to engage the projections on the indicators in such a manner that the indicators will be raised and lowered as the actuator is reciprocated. and means for adjusting said frames relative to the actuators while the latter is in lowered position to bring the projections on the desired indicators into engagement with the corresponding projections on the actuator.

59. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame having corrugations formed in its sides. of indicator tablets slidably mounted in said corrugations, and means for sliding any desired indicator tablet to exposed position.

60. In a machine of the class described. the combination with a casing having corrugations formed in its sides. of indicator tablets slidablv mounted in said corrugations, a frame having slots and carrying said casing, shafts projecting through said slots, means fo" sliding the frame transversely and differentially on said shafts, and means for sliding the desired indicator tablet to exposed position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK L. FULL R. iVitn esses F. E. HAMILTON, J. B. RICKETTS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, 1'). G. 

